Disposable unclogging apparatus

ABSTRACT

A disposable cleaning device for unclogging toilets and other bathroom appliances in a sanitary manner is generally comprised of an elongated core or handle joined to a pointed and/or barbed head. When a user has a clog, the user can retrieve a disposable cleaning device and, gripping the handle vertically above the toilet, insert the head into the toilet trapway passage and past the clogging material. The user can provide a gentle twisting motion, or push the sanitary device in and out in a reciprocating motion, or other suitable motion to break up and clear the clog. Once the clog is broken up, the sanitary device is simply released into the toilet bowl, where it will dissolve and/or disintegrate. After a short amount of time, the user simply flushes the toilet, removing both the clogged material and the sanitary device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62-069,958 entitled “DISPOSABLE UNCLOGGING APPARATUS,” filed on Oct. 29,2014, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated therein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of cleaning products and toiletries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hand operated toilet brushes, plungers, and other cleaning devices have long been used to unblock and clean clogged drains in toilets and other bathroom appliances. Clogs can be comprised of anything unsuccessfully flushed into the toilet, including waste, toilet paper, tissues and other bathroom items. These standard devices, like the toilet plunger and toilet brush, have changed little since their first use.

The toilet plunger typically consists of a handle or shaft of wood or plastic that is attached to a cup made from a flexible rubbery or plastic material. The cup is placed within the toilet bowl over the drain by a user and a reciprocal motion made to create suction and displace water to clear the drain of clogged material and send it on its way. Often, this displacement results in splashing of the water, contaminated with clogged material, about the area of the toilet. The toilet brush, made front plastic or similar materials known in the art, is comprised of a handle or shaft and a rough brush portion at one end. The toilet brush is sometimes used to unclog toilets by using it to scrape out clogged material with the rough brush end.

These devices, while having some utility in unclogging bathroom drains, toilets, and other bathroom appliances, are unsatisfactory at doing so in a way that keeps both the bathroom and user clean, sanitary, and dry. The water displacement resulting from use of a toilet plunger, for example, often results in splashing of toilet water, not just about the toilet, but onto the user. Even use of the toilet brush can create some splashing and does result in, at least, dripping of contaminated water from the brush. It is not unusual, after clearing a clog, for the toilet, area around the toilet and sometimes, the user's clothes to need to be cleaned. Further, the user's hands will always need to be thoroughly cleaned unless gloves are worn, in which ease the gloves will need to be thoroughly cleaned or disposed of.

Such precautions are taken because waste contaminant, in addition to having an unsightly appearance and creating an unpleasant odor, provides a dangerous breeding ground for bathroom bacteria and germs which can lead to an unsafe environment. Unsanitary waste removal conditions have previously contributed to the spread of many deadly diseases such as, to name only a few, cholera, yellow fever and typhoid fever.

In addition, these devices are difficult to store in typical public and household bathrooms, so they are usually left displayed out in the open, making the bathroom space less pleasant and more unsanitary. As the purpose of these devices is to come into contact with dirty, contaminated materials and water, and it is not uncommon for the entire device to become contaminated, subjecting anyone who touches them to waste product and risk of contamination and disease.

Toilet plungers, brushes and other such devices are also difficult to clean, usually requiring high-strength chemicals, and are impossible to clean without the user coming into contact with the contamination left on the device. Toilet plungers especially expose the user to contamination during clean-up, as the inside of the cup may have to be taken off or manipulated in order to sufficiently clean it. If the cup has to be removed from the handle, it can be difficult to re-attach.

As a result, these devices are often rarely or never properly cleaned, exposing the bathroom to germs, bacteria, and disease. This exposure is especially troublesome in public bathrooms with a larger number and variety of users. In a restaurant setting, a risk of food contamination exists when, as is often the case, servers or other employees who handle food are also tasked with unclogging or cleaning the restaurant's bathroom. Some users handle these issues by storing these devices in sheds or closets away from the bathroom. However, this tends to be inconvenient when they are needed, and this does not fully address the issue of contamination, as the devices have to be handled twice to transport from where they are stored to the bathroom and back again. These problems of use, cleaning and storage of these products run counter to the entire purpose of toilet plumbing: To remove waste and contaminant from the living area. Therefore, there is a need for a more sanitary cleaning device: one that is convenient and keeps users from being exposed to bathroom contamination.

SUMMARY

A disposable cleaning device 10 for unclogging toilets and other bathroom appliances in a sanitary manner is disclosed, generally comprised of an elongated core or handle joined to a pointed and/or barbed or rounded head. When a user has a clog, the user can retrieve a disposable cleaning device and, gripping the handle vertically above the toilet, insert the head into the toilet trapway passage and past the clogging material. Sometimes, this action alone may be sufficient to break up a clog.

Otherwise, the user can provide a gentle twisting motion, or push the sanitary device in and out in a reciprocating motion, or other suitable motion to break up and clear the clog. As the head has typically gripped some of the clogging material upon insertion, the head and motion (s) with the sanitary device will grip and separate some of the clogged material out of the trapway passage, allowing water in the toilet bowl to flow into the trapway passage, dislodging and breaking up the clogged material. The handle may have a grip portion (not shown) to assist a user in holding the handle.

Once the clog is broken up, the sanitary device is simply released into the toilet bowl, where it will dissolve and/or disintegrate. After a short amount of time, the user simply flushes the toilet, removing both the clogged material and the sanitary device.

The sanitary device should be of a proper size to penetrate the trapway passage of a toilet to remove clogged material. Generally, the sanitary device should be of a suitable size such that the handle extends above the bowl of a toilet to allow the user to avoid contact with the toilet, and the head is long enough to extend from the bottom of the toilet bowl into the trapway passage where the clogged material sits.

In one embodiment, the tip of the head of the sanitary device is triangular and pointed to initially penetrate through clogs and blockages and help break them up, though the tip of the head can be any suitable shape for penetrating The head can have one or more protrusions for gripping matter as the head passes through, to help break up the clog. The number of barbs or protrusions can be any suitable number. The barbs in the head typically work similarly to a barbed arrow, stingray stinger, or other device designed to grip surrounding material as it passes through.

To be flushable and disposable, the sanitary device is comprised of a material or materials known in the art capable of providing the temporary rigidity necessary for the sanitary device to achieve its purpose, yet are water soluble and dissolvable enough to be flushed when used for easy disposal. The device can be comprised of materials, such as thin, degradable cardboard, a reinforced paper, or, as in this embodiment, fiber-reinforced tissue paper and a water-soluble binder that provides a temporarily stiff structure. The binder may be made of starch or another environmentally friendly substance with similar physical properties.

Further, The handle can include environmentally safe cleaning solvents or soluble disinfectant materials that may include freshly scented deodorizers. Accordingly, when the sanitary device is released into the toilet, it not only is disposed of, but can help clean, disinfect and even provide an improved scent to the toilet. The sanitary device can release these active ingredients and dissolve at an appropriate rate to allow adequate unclogging and cleaning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE: DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing. The following descriptions are made referring to the figure, wherein like reference numbers refer to like features throughout this description.

An exemplary, but not exclusive, embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. A disposable cleaning device 10 for unclogging toilets and other bathroom appliances in a sanitary manner is provided, generally comprised of an elongated core or handle 20 joined to a pointed and/or barbed, or rounded, head 30. This embodiment comprises a barbed head. When a user has a clog, the user can retrieve a disposable cleaning device 10 and, gripping the handle 20 vertically above the toilet, insert the head 30 into the toilet trapway passage and past the clogging material. Sometimes, this action alone may be sufficient to break up a clog.

Otherwise, the user can provide a gentle twisting motion, or push the sanitary device in and out in a reciprocating motion, or other suitable motion to break up and clear the clog. As the head 30 has typically gripped some of the clogging material upon insertion, the head 30 and motion(s) with the sanitary device 10 will grip and separate some of the clogged material out of the trapway passage, allowing water in the toilet bowl to flow into the trapway passage, dislodging and breaking up the clogged material.

Once the clog is broken up, the sanitary device 10 is simply released into the toilet bowl, there it will dissolve and/or disintegrate. After a short amount of time, the user simply flushes the toilet, removing both the clogged material and the sanitary device 20.

The sanitary device 10 should be of a proper size to penetrate the trapway passage of a toilet to remove clogged material. Generally, the sanitary device 10 should be of a suitable size such that the handle 20 extends above the bowl of a toilet to allow the user to avoid contact with the toilet, and the head 30 is long enough to extend from the bottom of the toilet bowl into the trapway passage where the clogged material sits.

The sanitary device 10 is of a suitable length, given the toilet and bathroom conditions, to provide sanitary unclogging and cleaning. This can be 12″-48″ depending upon conditions, but it typically 18″ to 36.″ In any event, the sanitary device 10 should be long enough so that the user is not normally splashed with water from the toilet during unclogging or cleaning, yet not so long that the sanitary device 10 becomes awkward or cumbersome to use. In this embodiment, the overall length of the sanitary device 10 is 36.″ The width of the handle 20 can be any suitable width for fulfilling its purpose, based on factors such as handle length and materials of construction, and in cross section can be of any suitable shape, such as, e.g., square, rectangular, triangular or circular and in this embodiment is circular. Typically, the width of the handle is between about 0.5″ and about 1.5″ In this embodiment, the handle is circular with a radius of about 0.75″

The device may also feature a grip portion 50 (not shown) at the end of the handle 20 away from the head portion to assist a user in holding onto the handle.

Turning more specifically to FIG. 1, the tip of the head 30 of the sanitary device 10 is typically, as in this example, triangular and pointed to initially penetrate the head 30 through clogs and blockages and help break them up, though the tip of the head 30 can be any suitable shape for penetrating matter known in the art such as, e.g., triangular or spade shaped. The head 30, as in this embodiment, can have one or more protrusions, represented herein as 40, 40′, 40″, 40″′, 40″″, 40′″, for gripping matter as the head 30 passes through, to help break up the clog. In this embodiment, the protrusions 40, 40′, 40″, 40″′, 40″″, 40″″″ are comprised of a set of pointed barbs. The number of barbs or protrusions 40, 40′ , 40″, 40″′, 40″″, 40″″′ can be any suitable number, but is typically between two and ten barbs, more specifically between four and six barbs and in this embodiment, is comprised of six barbs. The barbs 40, 40′, 40″, 40″′, 40″″, 40″″′ in the head 30 in this embodiment typically work similarly to a barbed arrow, stingray stinger, or other device designed to grip surrounding material as it passes through.

Further, the head 30 can be comprised of other configurations known in the art for securing or gripping surrounding material as it passes through. Additionally, the head 30 and barbs 40, 40′, 40″, 40″′, 40″″, 40″″′ can be of any suitable chosen shape in cross section, such as, e.g., square, rectangular or, as in this embodiment, circular.

The head 30 can be any suitable length for penetrating and disrupting clogs, typically between about 4″ and about 12.′ In this embodiment, and more specifically, the head is about 6.′ The outer width or diameter of the protrusions 40. 40′, 40″, 40″′, 40″″, 40″″′ is typically wider than the handle 20. The outer diameter can be any suitable width that allows for penetration into the toilet drain area, is typically about 1″ to about 2″ and in this embodiment, the head has an outer radius of 1.′

The handle 20 and head 30 portions of the sanitary device can be either a single piece construction, as in this embodiment or two distinct pieces joined to each other. If there are two joined pieces, they can be attached to each other by any suitable means in the art, such as, e.g., a degradable adhesive, providing male and female threads or a simple male-female insertion arrangement at the respective ends of the handle 20 and head 30.

In another embodiment (not shown), the handle may be curved for improved access to various toilet configurations.

To be flushable and disposable, the sanitary device 10 is comprised of a material or materials known in the art capable of providing the temporary rigidity necessary for the sanitary device 10 to achieve its purpose, yet are water soluble and dissolvable enough to be flushed when used for easy disposal. The device 10 can be comprised of materials, such as thin, degradable cardboard, a reinforced paper, or, as in this embodiment fiber-reinforced tissue paper and a water-soluble binder that provides a temporarily stiff structure. The binder may be made of starch or another environmentally friendly substance with similar physical properties.

Further, The handle 20 can include environmentally safe cleaning solvents or soluble disinfectant materials that may include freshly scented deodorizers. Accordingly, when the sanitary device 10 is released into the toilet, it not only is disposed of, but can help clean, disinfect and even provide an improved scent to the toilet. The sanitary device 10 can release these active ingredients and dissolve at an appropriate rate to allow adequate unclogging and cleaning.

The sanitary device 10 may come pre-packaged, singly or with multiple other devices, to allow for neat and compact storage. This eliminates the associated problems of keeping and storing previous devices such as toilet plungers and brushes, such as contamination, odor and unsightliness.

By this invention, a disposable device is provided that unclogs and cleans bathroom appliances and can be safely disposed of afterward by simple flushing. The device not only reduces contamination risk from storage and cleaning, but is more convenient to both store and use.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, the expression of these individual embodiments is for illustrative purposes and should not be seen as a limitation upon the scope of the invention. It is to be further understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown. 

1. A disposable cleaning device comprised of: an elongated handle joined to a head portion, wherein the head portion is either pointed, barbed or rounded, and wherein the cleaning device is comprised of a material or materials that are water soluble and dissolvable enough to be flushed.
 2. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is further comprised of: a water-degradable cardboard, a reinforced paper, or fiber-reinforced tissue paper, and a water-soluble binder capable of providing a temporarily stiff structure to the cleaning device.
 3. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is long enough to extend from the bottom of a toilet bowl into the trapway passage of a toilet, and wherein the handle is of sufficient length to allow a user to use the cleaning device while avoiding contact with the toilet.
 4. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the sanitary device is of sufficient length to provide sanitary unclogging and cleaning.
 5. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the sanitary device is 12″-48″ long.
 6. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the sanitary device, is 18″-36″ long.
 7. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the handle in cross section is square, rectangular, triangular or circular.
 8. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the handle is between about 0.5″ and about 1.5″
 9. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is comprised of: water-degradable cardboard, a reinforced paper, or fiber-reinforced tissue paper and a water-soluble binder capable of providing a temporarily stiff structure to the cleaning device.
 10. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is comprised of at least one barb or protrusion.
 11. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is comprised of between two and ten barbs or protrusions.
 12. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion in cross section is square, rectangular, or circular.
 13. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is between about 4″ and about 12″ long.
 14. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is between about 6″ long.
 15. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is further comprised of at least one barb or protrusion, and wherein the outer diameter of the at least one barb or protrusions is wider than the outer diameter of the handle.
 16. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the handle and head portion are comprised of a dual-piece construction, and they are joined by a degradable adhesive, male and female threads, or a simple male-female insertion arrangement, at the respective ends of the handle and head.
 17. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the handle is curved.
 18. A disposable cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the handle is further comprised of at least one environmentally safe cleaning solvent, soluble disinfectant or both.
 19. A method of using a cleaning device comprising the steps of: Providing a disposable cleaning device comprised of an elongated handle joined to a head portion, wherein the head portion is either pointed, barbed or rounded, and wherein the cleaning device is comprised of a material or materials that are water soluble and dissolvable enough to be flushed, and breaking up or clearing a clog in a toilet, bowl by either providing a twisting motion to the cleaning device, pushing the cleaning device in a reciprocating motion, or both.
 20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of releasing the cleaning device into the toilet bowl. 